Skubick's Capitol: Let the chase begin

You know when some cabbie in Keeeentucky is talking trash about your company, you gotta big-time problem.

If you followed the recent Bonnie and Clyde romp involving an escaped con and his wife wanted for plugging a prison guard, they told a cab driver they were headed for an Amway convention.

The driver quickly concluded they were not Amway types because, "they weren't very pushy about their product."

So what's that got to do with Michigan politics?

Plenty, if your name is Dick DeVos who used to run Amway and is now running for governor.

The episode down South underscores the Amway "image" problem, which is why some Democrats suggest the company name was changed to Alticor.

Everyone who has had a run-in with any Amway folks, raise your hand. And if the experience was less than pleasant, leave your hand up.

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As noted in this space previously, lots of hands shoot up when those questions are asked on the rubber chicken circuit.

So is Amway a curse in the race for governor, or a blessing in disguise?

This is not the first time the Amway thing has found its way into a race for governor. In 1980 when GOP underdog Dick Headlee surprised everyone by swiping the nomination from the media-anointed "winner" Jim Brickley, Headlee did it with the help of so-called Amway Moonies Š a less than flattering description of the cult-like believers who aggressively peddle soapsuds and other household jams and jellies.

One Headlee-ite recalls the Saturday before the primary vote. It was pouring down rain. Anybody with half a brain stayed away, but the Amway bunch poured into Headlee headquarters, picked up the door-to-door literature and headed for the hills. That afternoon they came back and did it all over again with the rain still coming down. In other words, they were driven by their passion to elect Headlee and they did in that primary election.

Mr. DeVos, if he so chooses, can tap into the same fountain of passion in his drive to beat Gov. Granholm.

But no slouch when it comes to passion, Granholm et al are figuring the Amway issue plays in her favor.

The drum beat began last June that DeVos shipped Michigan Amway jobs off to China. Never mind that Mr. D. says it is not true; the drum will continue to beat louder and louder.

But what about the negative image that Amway has with common folks?

Granholm's gang believes they don't have to exploit it cause the sentiment speaks for itself.

As for the DeVos team, they know this stuff is coming and he'll be prepared. He'll likely talk about how the company gave thousands of folks a chance to succeed, to build a pyramid Š oops wrong word Š a stairway, to financial independence without government assistance.

He'll likely say he pleads guilty to helping families find the American Dream. He can concede there may have been some abuses, but he could not be responsible for each and everyone who sold Amway products.

So, blessing or curse?

An insider in the DeVos encampment says, "That's a winning issue for us. Amway/ Alticor have the highest favorable rating in Michigan Š we hope they chase that rabbit."

Let the chase begin.

- Tim Skubick is the longest-serving

member of the State Capitol Press Corps, with 34 years of covering Michigan